Updated commissioning instructions

I have updated the commissioning instructions - [www.reprappro.com]

I've been getting a lot of emails from people with proximity probe problems, homing problems, pronterface problems, network problems etc, which mostly boil down to not realising that the SD card sys/config.g file MUST be read at startup. So I've updated the commissioning instructions to point this out, and give some pointers if it's not working. I've also updated the 'update your firmware' section, to try and encourage people to check and update their firmware, which can also help solve these problems.

Can inexperienced and experienced users alike take a look, and tell me if it looks sensible? Does it need more?

Ian
RepRapPro tech support

Hi Ian, after entering M503 I get:-
RepRapFirmware is up and running.
Can't open 0:/sys/config.g to read from. Error code: 1
Configuration file not found

I did copy the 3 directories on to the SD card, and have since looked and seen them there.

KimBrown

I would update the firmware, the card may well work afterwards. Though our supplied SD cards (assuming you haven't got a Kingston one, which we've only just started shipping) are not very reliable. If you have another, try that.

Ian
RepRapPro tech support

After following your Instructions about commissioning I changed SD cards, for a working one from my phone....
Copied the files to it, and I now have the magic OK...

RepRapFirmware is up and running.
serial: M105
okT:19.7 B:21.5
Class Webserver spinning.
Class GCodes spinning.
Class Move spinning.
Class Platform spinning.
Class Heat spinning.

Quote
droftarts
I have updated the commissioning instructions - [www.reprappro.com]
...
Can inexperienced and experienced users alike take a look, and tell me if it looks sensible? Does it need more?

Looks good to me. My only comment is that I think putting alu or white tape on the x-homing tab should be part of the standard build.

---

Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

Yes, I was going to add that to the earlier part of the build. We're dropping the silver tape, and telling people to use white paper from now on.

Ian
RepRapPro tech support

I dont see the part in commisioning about taking the supplied SD card and either stamping on it, taking a sledge hammer to it, burning it, flushing out down the toilet, throwing it far out into the ocean, giving it as a present to someone you dont like etc ?



regards
Andy

---

Ormerod #318
www.zoomworks.org - Free and Open Source Stuff

Quote
kwikius
I dont see the part in commisioning about taking the supplied SD card and either stamping on it, taking a sledge hammer to it, burning it, flushing out down the toilet, throwing it far out into the ocean, giving it as a present to someone you dont like etc ?



regards
Andy

Agreed, stop horsing around and bite the bullet :-))

Erik

About 50% of them work in our tests, on the original firmware, and goes up to 60% with the firmware with a 5ms delay, annoyingly. However, we don't know if subsequent writes and rewrites cause a problem. We had shipped 600 Ormerods before we even knew there was a problem. We're now shipping branded Kingston 4GB cards, which have a lifetime guarantee from Kingston, and 100% success rate in testing.

(Stands back for tidal wave of emails for warranty SD cards!)

Ian
RepRapPro tech support

Ah well, all part of the fun! Personally I would have preferred a full-size SD card, or even better a USB memory stick seeing that it has to be taken out to transfer new print jobs. The micro card is too fiddly for my fingers! I wasted half an hour looking for the darn thing once - the spring in the socket caused it to fly across the room and, unknown to me at the time, land in a small tin of electronics parts where it was pretty well camouflaged!

I tend to use a cut-off cable tie to click them in and out, it's a bit softer than a screwdriver. About the best use for a cable tie ... grumble ...

Ian
RepRapPro tech support

Customer: (yelling and hitting the SD-Card repeatedly) - "ELLO SD-CARD!!!!!"

Customer: "Now that's what I call a dead SD-card!"

Ian: "No, no.....No, 'e's stunned!



Erik

Well, he's...he's, ah...probably pining for the fjords.

Ian
RepRapPro tech support

Hello.
Noob to 3D printing here.
Arrived hime to a box with my Ormerod in it the other day.
Yesterday I had the time to start building.
I have one correction to suggest.
To the best of my knowledge I have the new Z runner mount.
The instructions say 5 washers on each of the ball bearings.
This does not work and ends up with the ball bearing jammed against some of the acrylic.
I have found 4 is the ideal.
Overall, I have spent 3.5 hours building, am up to the point of taping the glass and decided to stop there as I had read some differences of opinion in regards to the silver tape and wanted to come back to the forums to see what was the preferred solution at present.
Coming from a RC hobbyist background it has been a fairly easy so far. Let's hope it continues like this for the software side of things
Thanks.

Hi again
While I remember, I would also suggest:

- the position of the thermistor on the hotbed be shown with a close up photo. I understand where it should be but people unfamiliar with its function may either not place it deep enough or too deep so that its penetration affects the flatness of the bed...

- the positioning of the z axis. Again, whilst perhaps not a problem for many people, the importance of ensuring that it is a perfect right angle to the y axis could be stressed a little more. I am new to this hobby, have not yet finished the set up (finalising the bed atm), but could see if people just fixed it to the y axis without much thought as to the consequence of it being on the piss when printing it would no doubt create many an email or forum post.

- this one is a little anal but needs to be said. Modular power supply. It makes no sense to me (except for saving money) that the PSU supplied is not modular. I would happily have paid extra $ to save me selling the supplied unit on eBay so I could use one that will improve the overall presentation of the machine and reduce unnecessary mess.

Anyway, loving it so far...back to it!

Quote
badman.teddy.edward
- the positioning of the z axis. Again, whilst perhaps not a problem for many people, the importance of ensuring that it is a perfect right angle to the y axis could be stressed a little more. I am new to this hobby, have not yet finished the set up (finalising the bed atm), but could see if people just fixed it to the y axis without much thought as to the consequence of it being on the piss when printing it would no doubt create many an email or forum post.

In fact the Duet firmware is able to compensate for a Z axis that is not at exactly 90 deg to the XY axis (as well as an XY axis that is not exactly 90 degrees). That's what you set up after you print the ormaxis part (you'll be getting to that bit of the commissioning soon). The firmware skews the XY positions on each layer in exactly the opposite direction to any tilt you have on the Z axis. A print from a machine with a perfectly set Z axis should be indistinguishable from a print from a machine with the Z axis out by 5 degrees!

Dave
(#106)

Quote
dmould

Quote
badman.teddy.edward
- the positioning of the z axis. Again, whilst perhaps not a problem for many people, the importance of ensuring that it is a perfect right angle to the y axis could be stressed a little more. I am new to this hobby, have not yet finished the set up (finalising the bed atm), but could see if people just fixed it to the y axis without much thought as to the consequence of it being on the piss when printing it would no doubt create many an email or forum post.

In fact the Duet firmware is able to compensate for a Z axis that is not at exactly 90 deg to the XY axis (as well as an XY axis that is not exactly 90 degrees). That's what you set up after you print the ormaxis part (you'll be getting to that bit of the commissioning soon). The firmware skews the XY positions on each layer in exactly the opposite direction to any tilt you have on the Z axis. A print from a machine with a perfectly set Z axis should be indistinguishable from a print from a machine with the Z axis out by 5 degrees!

Dave
(#106)

Egg on my face.
Nicely, nicely. After I had purchased this printer I started to see all of the "issues" turn up on this forum and began to worry. I can't say I have had any issue with it (especially compared to some of the RC projects I have groaned through). So far I have been really impressed. That might change as I print my first own design but I am not expecting it to..
Thanks RepRapPro...

These are some more general comments I have regarding the build instructions...
Basically they are just things I found would help others, hopefully they don't just annoy you.
I took detailed photos throughout the build so can supply if required.

- Drive gear assembly (extruder)
With the hex head screw aligned with the drive gear invert the drive gear, place on a flat surface and apply even pressure to allow the hex head to slot in place.

- Photo with only heat sink duct not with fan duct too (this seems out of step if you have the fan duct in photo)

- Measurement for how much ptfe tube goes into the nozzle... The PTFE tube should inserted 8mm(?) into the nozzle.

- Bend the top pin on the y axis end stop micro switch before attaching the belt. (should be in assembly not in wiring as it is a pain to bend carefully with the belt in pace).

- 4 washers not 5 on the z runner mount

- For attaching the x axis belt to the motor gear.. (I posted this elsewhere but…)
I found doing this:
1. remove the motor
2. feed the belt into the bottom inlet then out of the top outlet (at this point ensure at least 75mm of belt comes out the top outlet)
3. pull enough slack through into the gear area so it sits on the walls with at least 50mm out of the topside hole
4. grab the belt in the hole with some small long nose pliers and pull out through the main opening ensuring the belt exiting through the top outlet does not come back through and that your grip on the belt is gentle so as not to damage it
5. wrap the belt on the gear of the motor, hold the belt outside the top and bottom outlet / inlet and pull the belt from there to remove any slack as you position the motor in the housing.
6. fix motor
7. toke on electronic cigarette

Anyway, hope they help.